Ando - if he keeps this up he may just become the player we hoped for
Finally and irrevocably Wesley Sneijder is not coming to Manchester United.
The most drawn out, tweeted, transfer drama in the history of the universe has drawn to a close and we can now focus our attention on the important business of who’s going to win the X factor.
Or even better than that we can turn to the players United have at our disposal and realise that not signing Senijder or re-signing Hargreaves isn’t the end of the world. It actually may come as something of a shock to many Reds but United’s current midfield may just be good enough without any additions.
The problem for many United fans is the perceived lack of a ‘world class’ midfielder, a Sneijder ot a Modric or even a Lassana Diarra. While any of those players would be a useful signing for practically any club in the world, the fact United haven’t bought them shouldn’t mean we cannot compete for all the top honours -including the Champions League.
Tom Cleverley has made a great start to the season, ditto Anderson, then there’s still Darren Fletcher to return from injury. Michael Carrick was many people’s unsung hero last season, while in case you haven’t noticed Wayne Rooney plays so deep at times he’s practically a midfielder- oh and did I mention a certain South Korean who happens to be one of the most underated players in world football? If only we also had an experienced man who could slot into the middle when called upon- a player who’d won a few trophies and been at the club for a while.
Phil Jones has settled into the United side like a scouser settles into prison and if he keeps it up, I’m confident there could be a place as a defensive midfielder in the side once Rio and Vidic return to the fray.
Then there’s also a certain young Frenchman who’s one of the most talked about youngsters in world football, a player so good, that despite being only 18 is already being touted as a potential first team player by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Part of the problem for many fans is the lack of a true ‘world class’ top tier, one in a million Roy Keane-esque midfield superstar, yet scratch beneath the surface and that assesment may not be wholly justified. United have in Rooney a player who can occupy practically the same position in a team that Sneijder does and does it just as well if not better.
Park is the sort of battler, with the ability and big game temperament that makes him essential for any top of the table or Champions League clash. Park may not have the vision of a Xavi or the skill of a Messi but he does have the tenacity of a Mascherano and the energy of an Iniesta, he also doesn’t go missing in the big games a criticism Fabregas has yet to truly dispel.
Yaya Toure’s been one of the top midfielders in world football for a few years now, and is revelling in the role afforded him at Eastlands, yet is it totally inconcievable that on his day Anderson can not be just as good if not better? Anderson hasn’t had a consistent run in the side, yet if he’s given one, I’m confident that he’d outshine any central midfielder in the Premier League.
Barcelona can rely on the likes of Xavi and Iniesta to pull the strings, while last season Ryan Giggs proved he’s still capable of orchestrating United’s play. I’m not for one minute claiming Giggs is the equal of his Catalan counterparts, I’m merely pointing out the fact that when he’s on song, just as the Barcelona dou can, Giggs can pull the strings, certainly against some of the so-called lesser teams.
Should Darren Fletcher ever regain the form he showed he’s capable of, then he’s just as able as Pepe is at stopping an attacking midfielder from dominating a game, while Michael Carrick’s supporters will claim his passing can be the equal of Xabi Alonso.
The point I’m gradually making in case I’ve not been obvious enough, is that United’s midfield IS world class. Cleverley Jones and Pogba may not have reached that level yet, but in 1995-96 I remember watcing a team of ‘kids’ grow in ability at such a rate that by the end of the season they’d helped deliver a double. Given time, there’s little doubt in my mind the aformentioned trio will reach the very pinnacle of football.
For this season, the youth, experience, talent and energy United have in the centre of the park makes me think that the percieved failure to sign a world class midfielder, may actually be a blessing in disguise.
Have I gone in off the deep end again or is there a small drop of sanity in my dribble? Feel free to comment, suggest and abuse below:
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Our midfield still is way off our rivals in Europe for instance look at barca they have 4 midfielders that would walk straight into our first team xavi,fabregas,iniesta,thiago probably even masherano and none of our midfielders would get on the bench for barca and Madrid or even our premier league rivals
you cant possibly compare cleverly and anderson to xavi and iniesta….there is a lot of difference firstly age and experience…then im pretty sure if thiago can get into manutd first 11…then cleverly can also…..mascherano will never fit and hes neither of that quality…thats the reason why whenever busquets is fit , masch sit on the bench….as far as fabregas goes he might fit into that midfield only because of his premier league exp….and by saying players like giggs,carrick,fletcher,park wont get a starting place…well u sir are seriously deluded….!!!!!
I think your the one who is deluded if you think Park, Giggs, Fletcher and especially Carrick could get a place in Barca’s first XI. Your point about Cleverley and Thiago is also ludicrous. Cleverley is a real talent and has played exceptionally well so far in pre-season and in the 3 games so far and im sure he has a big future at United, however Thiago is on a whole different level to Cleverley or ANY other young english CM. Thiago will be the best CM in world football (or close to it) in 3-4 years time. But dont worry my ignorant friend with the Paul Pogba we also have a talent that is exceptionally special and hopefully Morrison will also get his act together. Then we may genuinely have a midfield that can rival Barca.
This is Really Insane we needed him, Let see how they can cought without him, This is the greatest mistake man u have done. Man city, Chelsea Even Arsenal Spends but what did we spend? Sneijder will keep playing for inter and he will surely archive whatever he want to archive. I think my love for united have ended here.
Good fuck off and support the stockport bitters then you glory hunting prick
@Kamal – “I think my love for united have ended here”
Please stop supporting Manchester united IMMEDIATELY. I have met so many Man Utd fans from around the world and while there are so many are true reds, there are also a lot of fair weather ‘fans’ like you who give the rest a bad name. Please support another club and NEVER go back to calling your self an United fan.
On another note, I can’t fully agree with this article, Motty.
I watched the class of 92 make Alan Hansen eat his words, but the other big clubs simply didn’t have the quality they do now. City and Chelsea will be our main rivals and even though I love the football we’ve been playing this season, but I can see us having similar problems as last season if we’re unlucky with injuries. We just needed one quality central midfield player and that man wasn’t Sneijder IMO anyway, but to not have signed anybody could prove a costly mistake.
Carrick has the ability to pass like Xabi Alonso, but he doesn’t control a game like Alonso does. He simply doesn’t have the determination to do so – not even against Crawley Town. This doesn’t make him a bad player. It just doesn’t make him a world class player and certainly not the player to help us get closer to Barcelona.
Anderson is our most talented midfield player, but needs to be more consistent. Cleverley has made a great start, but still has a lot to learn and improve his range of passing. overall if you look at our midfield, it is stacked with good players, but none of them would be considered world class by neutrals and regardless of which combination you choose, they do not equal the “completeness” of Keane and Scholes.
Kamal, you’re clearly not an United fans, just cause we didnt buy a top class player, that doesnt mean our team cant win any game. The game against Arsenal, is that not enough for you? You are retarded cunt donkey, go troll somewhere else, asshole.
I’m sure u’ve just been b*tch-slapped by ur now ex-girlfriend… again. Gee! No wonder u have commitment issues.
Well fuck off then! Don’t need fans like you anyway. Prob never been near Old Trafford. What did we spend!? Where do you think Young, Jones and De Gea came from? Silly bastard.
do one then you camel fucker
ohh god,tats not love tats glory hunting go and support man city or barca!
Get back to school, and at least learn how to spell before you come onto this kind of site making an arse of yourself. I’m sure nobody at Man U will suffer any sleep loss going forward without your love….
dude first of all get english lessons….secondly run the FUCK OUT of this forum….we dont want jackass morons like you to support manutd….we true fans are enough to take on any team in the world!!!!
lol sneijder will achieve nuthin at inter, past year they have taken a dive they won cl in 09\10, they r a 1 trik pony, btw, united have spent money, de gea, young, jones, so stupid u obvs dnt have a clue about football
Kamal,fuck off. We don’t need nor want people at our club that are so fickle as to say they have fallen out of love with United because we didn’t sign a so called “world class” player. Get your facts right you bellend, you think he’ll “archive” as you call it whatever he wants to “archive” well he won’t play for the most consistent club side in the world under the greatest manager that there has ever been. Who the fuck are you to question Sir Alex’s judgement you little arsehole….now go and jump on the bandwagon down the road at Shitty coz we don’t want you knobhead!!!!
Fergie sometimes behave some how just tell me which midfield players can we use to compete wif man city, talkless of madrid and barca.He had the fucking time to sign wesley and lass but he didn’t.Our team is made up of rigth footers,douglas costa was invited once but we didn’t sign him 2mao if he joins a big club like man u he will win ballon d’or. Nasri could have been a utd player but Sir Alex fucked up.Let’s just pray dat dis season turns out for good.
Caca slim, you just sound like another gloryhunter just like Kamal. You ask me to name midfield players that can compete with Shitty? did you not see the community shield? as soon as Cleverley came on he changed the game!! Also if you knew anything at all about United you would know TRUE fans never refer to us as “Man U”. Learn your history lad, and also your facts as i’ve got it on VERY good authority that Nasri agreed to come to us until Shitty offered him more money and Arsenal saw it as a better option to let him go to them. Regardless of that the Boss is obviously looking at youth and if you’d actually seen the Reserves/Youth play you would know that in Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe we’ll be and I don’t say this lightly, DOMINATING England AND Europe within the next 4 years.
United really need a player just like Sneijder, but if we got him, we would need to mould him into a more defensive player to accommodate him, Roo and a striker in the same team.. Hmm if only there was a player who played like a young version of Sneijder, who has a good understanding with Ando and Roo, who can control and release the ball quickly and accurately, who can make and score goals, who bombs forward with enthusiasm but defends hard too, and if only we could find an Englishman who could do all that… Hang on!!!!!!
Agreed. Tom Cleverley is exactly that!!!
Sneijder would have ruined the balance. We would have been forced to play him before realising he isn’t suited to the 4-4-2 system. Before anyone tries telling me otherwise let me point out that Real Madrid played a similar system to us during his days there.
We would have needed to adopt a 4-5-1 formation to accommodate him like holland and inter with two anchor men behind him.
Excellent news if u ask me. Keep the 35m and use it wisely to strengthen as and when required. Fergie will already know his next target.
I’m glad we din sign WS. I think it would be an unsettling influence, with his huge salary, superstar status and age. More opportunities must be given to the existing MFers, esp. the up and coming younger ones. If there is any area that needs strengthening, it is in defence, and it is mainly bcoz the twins are quite injury prone. If Smalling is unavailable, currently there would not be a right back cover. Otherwise, the team has adequate cover in all areas.
We dnt need him as long us we r winning like we doing know,our mid is gr8
@ kamal u had no love 4 man u,u r the pple who moves frm this team 2 another,we dnt need u to support man u,the whole world is behind us.shut up damb ass
Sounds and smells like sour grapes gone really bad, rotten, Mr Mottershead. Utd midfield world class? Which world will that be? The Championship world or League 1 world? These are the glorified names of lower reaches of English football, for the uninitiated. Once really sets in after the hype and hoopla have settled, Utd will start to stutter. Loan spells at Wigan and Sunderland do not make one a world class player. Spells at Real Madrid or Inter Milan may actually do that. Oh, playing in the World Cup final may help, right? Utd made a mess of Sneijder saga, intentionally or otherwise. And of course if there was no money, then there’s nothing to say anyway. Now I begin to suspect that indeed was the case.
You can dream bertie, you can dream
I’m a little sad that we didn’t sign WS.But i think without WS Manutd is still the best team.We can easily win the Premier league and win with difficulty the champion league.I think this season Manutd can beat Barcelona.The youth are showing great thing and we have one man on the bench that can make the different in a match.SIR ALEX FERGUSON